Secret Benefactor Hides $100 Bills Across City

For more than three years, the private patron has been hiding $100 bills at local stores, markets, fairs, and festivals in Salem, brightening many days along the way. Capi Lynn, who first wrote about “Benny” – the nickname she coined for the donor – for the Statesmen Journal in 2013 estimates that he’s given away more than $50,000.

“A friend of his came forward to act as a liaison, confirming his handiwork,” she wrote for USA Today on Thursday. “When she died, a replacement quickly stepped forward, emphasizing just how serious Benny’s circle of friends are about maintaining his anonymity and how this has never been about him, but about helping and inspiring others,” the article explained.

The act of generosity has helped to create a culture in Salem, including new slang terms: “To get Benny-ed is to find one of these $100 bills and be given hope or inspiration,” Lynn explained. “The finders are Benny-ficaries. Non-profits and causes are Benny-fitting.”

Lynn wrote that “the bills always seem to end up in the right hands,” helping some to take care of medical costs or living expenses, while others know just who to pay the fortune forward to. More than half of the Benny-ficaries report sharing the wealth with someone – or some organization – in need, according to Lynn.

Some others have reported keeping the bills as reminders of generosity, choosing to share the love form their own wallets, or checkbooks.

One homeless couple recently reported finding a bill and using it to buy a few nights in a motel.